


To Build A Snowman

by Verlerious



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Shounen-ai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-27 06:44:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/975685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verlerious/pseuds/Verlerious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While staying at the Flanoir inn, Zelos figures what better time for bonding with his best friend than to build a snowman together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Build A Snowman

**Author's Note:**

> This is originally my first TOS fic. It's still a favorite even if it is pretty old.  
> I guess I can say it’s set up like on of those random visits to Flanoir. I love random visits….

"Hey Lloyd!"

"What?"

"Let’s go build a snowman!" Zelos said smiling at Lloyd happily.

"A snowman? But it’s cold out there!" Lloyd looked mournfully at Zelos, trying to get the other to feel sorry for him. In Lloyd’s mind, snow equaled cold equaled not warm which was a very true statement and something he didn’t have to go to school to learn. Course if Raine’s classes weren’t so boring, he’d actually stay away.

Why do I need to know the physics of a sword? All I need to do is know how to swing it! 

"It’ll be fun!" Zelos walked over hugging Lloyd from behind as he continued to talk. "Come on! It’s not often that we get to hang out, just the two of us." Zelos frowned, one of his eyebrows twitching comically. "Normally that little brat, Genis, would be around. Course, I don’t mind his sister at all. The beautiful Professor Raine!"

Lloyd sighed listening to a side of Zelos he heard way to often. He knew, though, that this wasn’t Zelos’s true side. No, there was something more to Zelos, something that only he seemed to be able to see…something that drew him closer to the other despite what everyone else may say. Zelos was his friend…a special friend….

"Lloooooyd, are you even listening to me?!" A very loud friend…. Zelos was standing by the door, a big coat on with a pair of light green gloves, and a scarf around his neck to keep the wind at bay. "Come on! By the time you get ready, the snow will be melted!"

"Zelos…how is the snow going to melt? We’re in the mountains!"

"That’s besides the point!" He started to pout, sticking his lips out in a cute manner as he looked at Lloyd. "If you’re my bud, you’ll go with me to build a snowman."

"I didn’t even know you liked the snow that much," Lloyd said as he was sliding into his coat and gloves. To be honest, Lloyd wasn’t fond of snow. He was raised with a dwarf for a father in a place where the snow barely touched. How was it that now he was in such a frozen city as this?

"Uh well…"Zelos rubbed behind his head a second then frowned. "I just want to have some fun with you, ya know? Or we can stay in here and talk or go hit on some honeys or something."

"No, we can go build a snowman," Lloyd said, though he was watchful of Zelos’s response. At any other time, Zelos would have went by himself to talk to girls or even to bother some of the other members of the group, the females mainly. But today, here at Flanoir, the other was spending all that time talking to Lloyd. It made him feel honored and yet suspicious as to why Zelos was doing this? What was it on his mind? There had to be more to this than just the snowman.

"You feeling ok today?" Lloyd asked, starting to button up his jacket before he found himself looking around for his scarf. Where could it have gotten?

"Hm? Why wouldn’t I be ok?" Zelos asked, looking at Lloyd in confusion, a scarf held in his hand. Lloyd walked over, glancing up at him for a second before he reached down taking the scarf, his scarf, away from him. 

"Well, ever sense we came to Flanoir, you’ve been kind of tense. Not to mention you haven’t once hit on any of the girls while we’ve been here." As he was tying the scarf around his neck, he glanced up at Zelos again, watching for any changes in his expression to see if he would give anything away. "In fact, you’ve been kind of quiet all day." 

Zelos frowned and looked away, apparently trying to ignore the look he was being given. "There’s nothing wrong, ok? I just wanted to go out and have a bit of fun with my best bud, ya know?" He turned resting his hand on the doorknob as he looked back at Lloyd. "It’s not often that we even get the time to enjoy ourselves, not with all that’s going on in the worlds."

"Yeah, you’re right." As the door was opened, Lloyd walked out, only stopping to wait on Zelos to close the door before he started to move again. He shivered wishing again that they had chosen to do something in anti-cold climate. He noticed the shadow falling over him at his side and glanced over looking at Zelos as the other walked beside him, already chattering on about something non-important. The thing that was weird was how comfortable Lloyd felt walking with the man…and how much warmer things seemed to be. "So where are we going to build a snowman at?"

"How about in front of the church," Zelos suggested glancing down at Lloyd. He had a smile on his lips, the cold already affecting the glow on his cheeks. In fact, Lloyd was almost tempted to call him cute.

But he is cute…is it even possible for guys to be cute?

Well Genis was cute too, but he was also still a kid. All kids were cute. It was like this unwritten law that they had to be. Even Presea was cute. 

How old is Presea anyway? She has to be a few years older than Genis…or maybe younger?

Carefully they climbed up the steps, moving slowly so they wouldn’t slip on the snow as they followed the footprints in the snow that seemed to be leading the way for them. Where were the others anyway? Genis would probably be with Raine or Presea. But if Raine was currently researching then it was a better bet that he was with Presea…who would be with Regal. Sheena would probably be in her room, someone else who didn’t seem too comfortable with the cold weather. And Colette was probably…um….

Where would Colette be anyway?

Suddenly Zelos seemed to stop where he was, causing Lloyd’s attention to be broken from his thoughts. Why would he suddenly stop like that? He looked up to see what could have caught Zelos’s attention like that and smiled brightly as he saw Colette standing in front of the church staring up at the snowfall. What was she doing here?

"Hey, Colette!" Lloyd moved towards her, smiling when she looked at him in surprise before smiling herself, her cheeks also taking on that rosy red coloring that Zelos’s has earlier. She seemed pretty prepared for the snow herself, wearing a blue jacket with fur trimming. There was a white pair of earmuffs over her ears and white gloves on her hands making her look really cute. 

"Lloyd!" She giggled slightly, her eyes closing for a moment before she opened them again. "I was just getting ready to come see you." 

"Oh really?" Lloyd said as he scratched behind his head, mentally noting the silent Zelos beside him. In fact, that silence was enough to make him glance out of the corner of his eyes at him. Why was Zelos being so quiet? Usually he would have flirted with Colette as soon as he’d seen her. "Um…well actually…."

"Oh, are you two going somewhere?" Colette said looking between him and Zelos. 

"Well, actually-"

"It’s not something we couldn’t do any other day," Zelos interrupted quickly with a smile causing Lloyd to look at him, a frown on his face. Though his face was saying something else, his eyes seemed to be saying more. It was like so many other moments, those times where he pretended to be one way for the satisfaction of others. Why was Zelos acting this way? "We’ll just save this for another time, right Lloyd?" 

"Zelos…" Lloyd shook his head quickly. "What about the snowman?"

"Hm?" Zelos seemed to think about it for a moment before he shook his head. "Why don’t you two make a snowman? I’ll just go find a pretty lady to stay with for tonight." He winked at them, turning away and heading back down the steps.

"Zelos!" Lloyd growled calling out his name again. He was doing it again! Acting like nothing was wrong when it was so obvious! Why did he always have to do things like this?! And why was it that it seemed like Lloyd was the only one who could see that something was wrong?! Sometimes he wondered if maybe Sheena saw it…maybe even Regal…but no one ever mentioned it. But then again Zelos was an enigma. He played two parts in his life, but he rarely let anyone see that other side. Being around Zelos did cause him to sometimes let the facade fall…but he was still skillful enough to hide what it was he was really thinking or feeling. How was it that people were capable of doing stuff like that?!

"Lloyd, is something wrong?" Colette said quietly from behind him. He turned and looked at her, looked at the curious yet clueless concern on her face. She couldn’t see it. She fell so easily for Zelos’s act that she couldn’t even tell that something was wrong.

"No um…sorry, hold on a second." Before she could say anymore he ran off, doing his best to catch up to the older male who was still moving carefully down the steps, ignoring the snowflakes falling into his hair or the puff of smoke that escaped his mouth when he breath. Why did they choose to come to this cold place?! "Zelos!" He saw the other stop walking, and started to move faster down the steps. Unfortunately, Lloyd forgot that snow and steps could equal to a very slippery mistake. He felt his foot give way underneath him, his eyes widening as he felt himself falling forward. He let his eyes slip shut, anticipating the painful fall he knew would be coming…yet his eyes opened in surprise when he felt his fall being cushioned. 

Did someone catch me?

Man, that was embarrassing! "Lloyd, you ok?" a voice said to him and Lloyd looked up seeing Zelos looking down at him in concern. Suddenly, the other seemed to grin as he helped Lloyd to stand up, the redness of his cheeks from the cold becoming even more apparent. In fact, it almost looked like a blush. Why would Zelos be blushing? 

"Y-yeah," Lloyd stuttered, a little shaken up by the fall. "I can’t believe I almost fell down a plight of stairs like that!"

"That’s flight of stairs," Zelos corrected. "You should be lucky that the Great Zelos was here to save you!" Zelos grinned at him, a grin that Lloyd knew was a genuine one as he felt himself smiling in return. 

"More like an idiot savior." When Zelos made a face at the name Lloyd laughed, reaching out a hand to hold onto the safety railing just incase he happened to slip again. 

"Either way, I think I deserve a prize or at least some better praise, considering I’m your savior and all, despite being called an idiot!" 

Lloyd shook his head again. He was getting off topic here. "About what happened just now with Colette," Lloyd started, noting the quick change in expression, but continuing with what he was going to say. "Why didn’t you just tell her what we were going to do?"

"Come on, everyone knows you have a crush on her," Zelos stated as he punched Lloyd lightly in the arm, though that look in his eyes was back again. He was playing games again. "I just figured that you wanted some alone time with her."

W-wait a minute, a crush?!

"I think you’ve got the wrong idea!" Lloyd stammered out quickly, shaking his head and hands at the same time to dislodge whatever thought were in Zelos’s mind. "I don’t have a crush on Colette! I-I mean she’s like a little sister! I just want to protect her, that’s all!"

"Sounds like a love proposal to me," Zelos said grinning slightly. "Anyway, that’s why I left. It’s not like I can’t build a snowman with you some other time." 

Why the heck is it bothering me that he’s just giving up so easily?!

"But you said earlier that you wanted to hang out, just the two of us. At the very least we can build that snowman together!"

"Well, I’m not all that fond of snow anyway," Zelos said quietly, his eyes getting a distant look to them. Not fond of snow? So why would he suggest building of a snowman in the first place? "Besides, as the great Zelos, I can find any woman to entertain me!"

"Right," Lloyd said rolling his eyes. Figures he’d go back to the girls to cover up whatever he was trying to hide. "But for now, I still want to build that snowman." 

Zelos shrugged. "Then we’ll just do it lat-"

"I want to do it now," Lloyd said quickly, not allowing him to finish. "You’ve got me psyched up now that I want to."

"This," Zelos said pointing at him, "would be the perfect time for you to make a move on Colette. Ask her to build a snowman with you, then maybe do some of that accidentally touching thing, comment on the snow in her hair, and you’re good to go!" Lloyd opened his mouth to protest but Zelos kept going, closing his eyes and using his arms and hands to bring the story out in the open. "Maybe even comment on how the snow brings out her eyes and that she looks like an angel in the moonlight. And when you comment on her lips….bam! That’s when you hit her with a kiss! Trust me, she’ll love it." 

So that’s how you win the girl’s over, huh Zelos?

Lloyd shook his head quickly of those thoughts as he stood his ground staring firmly at Zelos and daring the other to disagree with his next comment. "I want to build a snowman with you, Zelos." He tried not to think about how weird this sounded when he said it out loud. Hell, he felt like he was proposing or something. "I…well I want to hang out too, just the two of us. Like you said before, we barely get to do that. There’s always something going on to prevent it."

It’s also a good way to learn more about you.

Zelos stayed quiet, staring at him almost like he was reading him. With a sigh, he finally seemed to relent though a smile lifted to his lips. "Alright, alright, I give up. Let’s go build a snowman together, ok?"

"Alright!" Lloyd yelled out, smiling. "Just wait right here! I have to tell Colette what we’re doing so she doesn’t worry!" He ran off up the steps, moving more carefully this time and completely oblivious to the look Zelos was giving him.

 

 

"Hey uh…Zelos?"

"Yeah?"

"I…um…don’t know how to build a snowman…."

"Seriously?!" Zelos looked over at him with surprised eyes. Well he should have known better, this was Lloyd Irving after all. 

Wonder if his dad knew anything about snowmen.

"Man, you’ve really been missing out on a good part of life!" Zelos laughed softly even more entertained by the look on Lloyd’s face. He could really be cute at times…especially that redness to his cheeks. "Look, I’ll show you." Zelos bent down, grabbing the snow into his hands looking up to see if Lloyd was paying attention before he started to make it into a small ball by meshing it together. "The best way would be to start out with a snowball first." He took the snowball and placed it on the snow, pushing it around a bit and getting it to roll causing it to collect more snow. "Then you just keep rolling it around in the snow until it gets bigger and bigger." As the snowball started to grow, he crouched and started to follow it making it continue to roll. It didn’t take long before he finally had a ball he didn’t have to completely bend over to push.

"So that’s all you have to do?" Lloyd said coming to stand beside him. 

"Yep." Zelos smiled then nodded his head. "Hey, why don’t you give it a try and make us a middle while I work on the base."

"Alright," Lloyd said, nodding his head and looking determined as he bent down to start on making his first snowball. They worked silently for a while, each concentrating on their task. Well, Lloyd was concentrating but Zelos was more like ogling the other while he wasn’t looking. 

I’ve definitely changed, all right.

Where he used to complain about men…now he was staring at one and feeling like he was spending a private time with his crush. Ok well actually, he was spending a private time with his crush. And his crush was the one that wanted to spend the time with him. That made him feel really good. 

"Damn it, I can’t do it!" Zelos looked over, just in time to see the snowball crumbing under the youth’s fingers and couldn’t help a chuckle. 

"You’re being too rough with it," Zelos said quietly as he walked over kneeling in front of him. He reached down making a ball quickly before he placed Lloyd’s hands around it and covered them up with his own hands to help him. "Sure it needs some force sometimes to stick together but you don’t have to beat them together." Gently he squeezed his hands around Lloyd’s, keeping his eyes on the snowball this time or else he knew he’d lose his control. It wasn’t like Lloyd would be able to read his advances…but he didn’t want to scare the other off with his feelings despite how much he flirted with the oblivious one.

"Oh I see," Lloyd whispered though he seemed to be trying to ignore the shivering in his body. This weather probably was too cold for him. Maybe Zelos shouldn’t have suggested building a snowman. "I think I’ve got it now, Zelos." Zelos dared a glance up looking at Lloyd, smiling slightly when the other tugged at his hand a moment and frowned probably trying to figure out why he couldn’t pull his hand away. When he looked up at the red haired man, Zelos knew he’d lost the battle.

What would one little kiss hurt?

 

 

"I think I’ve got it now, Zelos. You can let go." When the other didn’t let go, Lloyd frowned looking up finding the other staring at him. It made him freeze for a moment where he was, confused by the look and yet feeling something inside him stirring as those eyes stared at him. "Z-Zelos…?"

Why is he staring at me like that?

"I’m serious, y-you can let go," Lloyd stuttered as he tugged at his hand again to it loose. Suddenly, there was warmth on his lips and his eyes widened as he found himself staring into the blue eyes that belonged to Zelos. What exactly was going on? Why was Zelos…kissing him? Wasn’t Zelos into women? And why did this feel so good? The lips pulled away leaving only the cold against them, Lloyd still looking clueless though his red cheeks probably were from blushing this time. "…W-why…" Was all Lloyd could ask, not sure why he couldn’t ask the questions running through his mind. He realized he was struggling for breath and closed his eyes to try and get himself under control. 

"Ah well…you know…um…." Zelos stood to his feet quickly, brushing a hand through his hair seemingly out of nervousness as he looked everywhere but at the boy on the ground in front of him. "Let’s just…pretend that didn’t just happen, alright?"

Lloyd tilted his head back, looking up at Zelos, once again noticing that closed up expression. The other was hiding from him again…because of what happened? If he put two and two together…was it possible Zelos was jealous of Colette? Did…d-did Zelos want Lloyd…in that way?

I can’t just out and ask him!

And why did he even care anyway?! He was just kissed by a guy! Shouldn’t that be freaking him out?!

"Zelos," Lloyd said noticing the other tensing up at his voice. 

"You know, this is a really nice day," Zelos said, changing the subject as he stared up at the sky, letting the snowflakes fall, some noticeably sticking in his hair. With his arms slightly spread out he really did look like an angel. All he really needed were some wings behind his back. It was bringing back memories of the conversation he’d just had with Zelos not too long ago. 

Standing slowly to his feet, he dusted some of the snow off of him before he looked at Zelos again, noting that the other was still looking at the sky. Was he trying to avoid what had happened? It was obvious that Zelos had wanted to do it or else he wouldn’t have. And there was no way it could have been an accident…right? 

M-maybe…I should ask him….

"Are you sure…there’s nothing wrong?" Lloyd tried again, knowing that the other would probably just say no again like always. For some reason, Zelos seemed to believe that a person should be able to fix their own problems.

"Actually, yes there is something wrong," Zelos said surprising Lloyd by saying that. "There’s something wrong," Zelos sighed as he looked down, "because I want to be more than just best friends…with my best friend."

Lloyd blinked, his mind drawing a blank for a minute as he frowned. "You mean like be ultimate best friends?" What could be higher than best frie-oh he means…oh…uh…. "You….you don’t mean…"

"Yep," Zelos answered as he chuckled slightly. "Even though that’s not gonna happen cause my best bud happens to already have someone like that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Zelos started as he turned to face him again, cheeks still glowing red from the snow if not from something else. "Well…you know with Colette in the picture….and stuff and….well me being a guy kind of makes it a bit of a challenge. Hell, even Sheena has a better chance." He quickly let out a breath of air s he reached up playing slightly with his hair. "M-man…this really has me flustered. You’d think I’d be able to do this."

So he’s nervous?

"What does being a guy have to do with it?" Lloyd blurted before even thinking. He coughed looking to the side with a blush at the look he got and had to get himself under control. "I mean…I’m really not dating anyone if that’s what you’re worried about."

"Does this mean that Lloyd Irving, son of the dwarf, is proclaiming that he just may be bisexual?"

"Not that it’s any of your business," Lloyd said folding his arms and closing his eyes trying to ignore the blush on his cheeks and the pounding in his chest. "But I might be. You just better not run telling everyone else about that!"

At the threatening look he realized, Zelos quickly raised up his hands waving way whatever accusations were being tossed his way. "N-not in a million years! I like keeping my hide, thank you very much!" He grinned as he rested a hand behind his head posing slightly as he looked at Lloyd, one eye closing in a wink. "So now you’re saying that if I just work at this more, you just might you know…go out on a date with me, right?"

"I might," Lloyd said as he gave him a look. "It depends. Do you plan to keep on dating every girl you see?"

"Well…" Zelos chuckled slightly at the glare he received, mentally remembering a certain someone who had that exact same look when angry. Though Zelos wasn’t to fond of the man he was thinking about, he did enjoy the companion of said man’s offspring…or Lloyd Irving as an easier way of saying it. "I promise I wouldn’t date another person, girl or guy, so long as I’m with Lloyd Irving." He stuck his tongue out slightly biting on it as he winked at him again. "If I cheat on you I’ll give up my place as Chosen." 

"You want to give that up anyway!" Lloyd yelled as he leaned in poking him in the chest. "How do I know you won’t just do it on purpose so you can give it up?!" Suddenly he felt arms being wrapped around him. He was frozen in shock for a moment before he leaned into the hug, his eyes closing as he took in that feeling of warmth radiating from the other into his cold body.

"Because…" Zelos started as he rested his chin on Lloyd’s shoulder, his eyes closing as he continued to whisper the rest into Lloyd’s ear. "The only person I’d willing stay Chosen for….is Lloyd." Lloyd blushed slightly and rolled his eyes at the cheesy line…though he felt very honored by it as he reached up his arms, finally hugging Zelos back. It actually felt…right to be in this man’s arms. He didn’t know why but it did…it felt…different from the times he’d hugged Colette…. 

"Alright…"Lloyd said slowly, "I’ll go on a date with you…and…well…." He pulled back from Zelos staring up at him, his mouth parted slightly as a puff of smoke flew from his lips. "I…liked your lips anyway…so…."

Zelos blinked at the words before he burst with laughter and suddenly hugged Lloyd again, pretty much picking him up off the ground with happily.

"Oh my god, Lloyd loves me! He really loves me!"

"S-shut up!" Lloyd yelled out of embarrassment, his cheeks reddening. He couldn’t help but to smile a little though. Zelos was happy…and that was really making him happy. Maybe he really did love him. It would definitely explain why he was always thinking about the other. Or so he’d like to think.

"It’s ok," Zelos said finally calming down and setting the other back on the ground, his grin looking ready to break off his face. "Because I love Lloyd too." And that was enough to calm Lloyd’s thinking mind as he bent down again gathering the snow between his hands, just like Zelos had taught him.

"Hey…what are you doing? Zelos questioned. Lloyd could just picture the frown and the look of confusion that was probably on the other’s face.

"What’s it look like?" Lloyd said as he stood up with the small ball in his hand. "I’m declaring…a snowball war!" He threw the ball fight into the shocked Zelos’s face, before his eyes widened and he took off running.

What have I started?! 

"Lloyd Irving is about to meet the wrath of the great Zelos Wilder!" Suddenly a snowball whizzed past his head letting him know that the war was on! He couldn’t help laughing as he took up a hiding spot and started to build his ammunition, taking care in putting the balls together so they wouldn’t just fall apart later. Yes, he had to admit this was fun. He’d learned a lot today, both about snow and about Zelos. And he didn’t regret a moment of it….

I’m glad I decided to do this. Maybe…we’ll finish building the snowman tomorrow…together.

End.

**Author's Note:**

> Still disappointed I can't find many fics for this pairing. x.x I want to read more.


End file.
